New approaches for risk assessment and management of bovine protothecosis

Protothecosis is a potential zoonosis related to bovine mastitis. In several countries, a higher incidence of protothecal bovine mastitis that is being recorded and the resistance of Prototheca species to various fac-tors (chlorine, high temperatures, antimicrobial and antiseptic treatments, pH variations), make it diffi-cult to control its spread among farms. The authors aim to describe the infection caused by microalgae, focusing on the problems within cattle farms and proposing new approaches to farm management, based on Regulation (EU) No 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases. This new flexible approach, based on risk analysis, is a further tool in protecting against Prototheca species. The list of transmissible animal dis-eases under Regulation (EU) No 2016/429 includes those caused by microorganisms resistant to antimi-crobials, which can have important implications for human and animal health, feed and food safety. This approach would involve a series of changes to the rules used for Official Controls (Regulation (EU) No 2017/625) moving from the concept of the food chain to that of the agri-food chain. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.

Automated summary

This article discusses the issue of protothecosis, a potential zoonosis related to bovine mastitis, and proposes new approaches to farm management based on risk analysis to control its spread among farms. According to EU regulations, diseases caused by Prototheca species are listed as transmissible animal diseases, which can have significant implications for human and animal health, as well as feed and food safety.